REAP Dual-Eligible Districts: SRSA & RLIS FY 2017

On April 3, 2017 the United States Department of Education (ED) sent out letters notifying Lead Education Agencies (LEAs) of new provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allowing Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to be eligible for both Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) and Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) grants under the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) or Title V, Part B.

An LEA that is eligible for both SRSA and RLIS (referred to as “dual-eligible” LEAs) must choose to participate in either SRSA or RLIS, and then notify ED of its decision by June 30, 2017. If an LEA submits an SRSA application, the application serves as confirmation to ED the LEA has chosen to participate in SRSA, rather than RLIS. A dual-eligible LEA that applies for SRSA in accordance with the application submission procedures will receive an FY 2017 SRSA grant award.

A dual-eligible LEA that chooses not to submit an SRSA application will be included automatically in the list of RLIS-eligible LEAs ED provides to CDE. CDE awards RLIS grants using a funding formula and LEAs then use the Federal Consolidated Application to budget those funds.